Hey fellas, I'm trying to decide between a Deere 450J dozer and a Case 650K dozer. I like them both, and currently have a Case 550H. I want to go to a hystat for my next machine, and it will definetly be one of these two. I am mostly interested in the performance/durability of each. Anyone have any "unbiased" opinions on either of these?

Thanks.

ksss

07-17-2006, 12:15 AM

You surely wont find an unbiased opinion on this board but hey its the internet. CASE will be releasing some new hydrostatic dozers shortly. The new CASE dozers have sold well up here. Those that have them really like them. Deere makes a fine dozer. Although the competion has caught back up, Deere ran away with the hydrostatic dozer market. I ran the 650 at Tomahawk, Wi last Spring. I thought it was very easy to run and the controls were for me very natural. I would buy CASE but thats my biased opinion.

Scag48

07-17-2006, 12:55 AM

Honestly, I'd take the Deere, but that's just me.

dozerman21

07-17-2006, 05:00 AM

Thanks guys. I was actually wondering if Case was coming out with a new machine, because the 650K's have gone down some in price. Do you know if they are making a smaller hystat to match the Deere 450J? If not, do you know how they will be different? I have ran a 650K and it was a nice machine, I just think it may be to heavy and big for some of the tight residential work that I do. That's why I'm probably leaning toward the Deere. Do you have any info on the new Case?

Thanks for any help.

notoriousDUG

07-17-2006, 12:15 PM

I am a big fan of standarized fleets... it makes parts purchasing and service that much easier. It also gives you better buying power with your vendor for parts, they are much more interested in taking care of a guy with 8 of their machines vs. a guy with 3.

xcopterdoc

07-17-2006, 06:56 PM

We have both in our fleet up to the 750 size. No problems out of the Deeres. We have had several of the Case models with hyd cylinders leaking early on. All of ours have the 6 way blades. Engine wise I like the Case better, controls wise, they are both about the same. Be ready to spend the bucks on the Deere for filters. Some dont cross to Wix, Napa or Baldwin. Most on the Case do interchange.

Tigerotor77W

07-17-2006, 08:37 PM

Out of curiosity, why is the D3G out of the running?

Dirty Water

07-17-2006, 08:39 PM

A bit offtopic:

The only dozer I've ran was a old cat that had a 3 speed transmission and you steered with the brakes.

How are the controls set up on these new hystat dozers? I glanced at one the other day and it looks like you don't steer with your feet anymore?

dozerman21

07-17-2006, 10:14 PM

The hystats have one lever on your left side that controls all of your movements, instead of the pedal steer and high/low track powershift. You also have a decelerator which acts like a brake. This is my first hystat, so it will take some getting used to.

I've ran a Cat D3G. It was brand new, but I didn't like it as much as the Deere and Case. I thought the controls weren't nearly as smooth. It seemed jerkier on turns and forward/reverse. Around here, Case and Deere also have a better reputation for helping the small companies like mine. I'm sure Cat will coming out with a newer version in the near future though. I've heard rumors about a D3 size Case, but not by anyone from Case.

Scag48

07-17-2006, 10:16 PM

You steer the hystat dozers with a joystick in your left hand. They have a detent for forward, so you click it forward (much like you'd click the stick forward for float on a backhoe, skid steer, etc.) and then steer left and right from there. Same for reverse. Steers exactly like a skid steer. I haven't run a hystat dozer but I'd like to give it a shot.

Dirty Water

07-17-2006, 10:28 PM

Continueing with the hi-jack, a local contractor owns a Komatsu dozer, that has what appears to be hand controls like an excavator would for the travel functions.

That doesn't make any sense to me, unless the blade controls are foot pedals, but that seems pretty backwards.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/photos/data/552/3647Dozer_angle-med.JPG

tylermckee

07-18-2006, 03:12 AM

im pretty sure the sticks are for steering. you pull the right stick towards you to turn right, pull the left stick towards you to turn left, otherwise it heads straight.

ksss

07-18-2006, 09:49 AM

I don't have all the details yet but it appears that they put in hydrastat in the smaller dozer. I'll find out today exactly. The word I had was they were updating some of the smaller dozers. I'll get the specifics.

dozerman21

07-18-2006, 07:24 PM

Thanks ksss. I've been trying to hold off on a new machine until I found out whether or not Case would be offering a smaller hystat. Any details are greatly appreciated, especially the release date.

I have flash backs from those Komatsu POS's. Looks like a D-34/35. Not a bad machine but a world away from what we have now. A real bas@#rd to work on they were.

ksss

07-19-2006, 10:49 PM

I did some checking. CASE is now releasing the new 1650 with hydostat the 550 is still 6 months out. My bad I thought the 550 was about to release with hydrostat. It looks like if you want to buy now and if you want a CASE it would have to be the 650 to get the hydrostat.